Decent Weekend

Saturday saw me and a few mates twitching the wintering Hoopoe in Dumfries. We didn't see it in 4 hours in summary! However we did get a drake Smew and Slav Grebe on Loch Soulseat. Just before we left, another mate of mine rang me to inform me that the unringed adult Red-Breasted Goose was showing at Loaningfoot with Barnacles again, and after considering a twitch of this bird last weekend, we soon left the Hoopoe site to look for it. After about an hour of looking from West Preston Farm, we finally picked it up in the flock, mega! It was a superb bird and one that I'd been looking forward to seeing for a long time!

Red-Breasted Goose (Copyright - Andrew Kinghorn) 

Then Sunday had me up at East Chevington after some Redpolls! 2 Mealies showed well on the feeders at the top end, and the Red-Necked Grebe was still present.

 Comparison between Mealy (Right) and Lesser (left)

 Mealy Redpoll

Lesser Redpoll

This Weeks Birding

Thursday saw me heading for Hartlepool Headland early doors with Tom M and Dan McG for Western Bonelli's Warbler, we gained some excellent views of that bird and also managed Mealy Redpoll in the hand there. Sunday saw me back at Hartlepool Headland for the Pallid Swift, Dusky Warbler and Bonelli's again, getting good views of all again! Me and Dan then went with Andrew K and Michael M to North Yorkshire for the Siberian Stonechat, and got some excellent views of that as well! However we dipped Hoopoe in Notts later in the day thanks to an ignorant photographer who thought 10 feet wasn't close enough, wow. Today saw me flying up to Howick for another Siberian Stonechat which showed even better, becoming my second in two days after only life ticking it yesterday! Excellent few days birding.

Western Bonelli's Warbler

 Mealy Redpoll

 Pallid Swift

Siberian Stonechat